Customer Reviews

Rotten

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I found this CD a year or so ago while looking for something else. the more I listen to it the more it grows on me. I don't think the negative reviews warrant the strong Coldplay comparisons, it is way more obvious a comparison the great Morrisey and the 80's band The Smiths. Sure a few songs have similar guitar to Coldplay, and as much of a Coldplay fan as I am, the song Rotten Love stands at the forefront of Jilted Teen love songs. It is also James Levy's voice which pulls this out of a mockery of such broken hearted love songs and (a mere copy of The Smiths) to a sincere attempt to capture those emotions. I think this is one of the most over-looked pop albums of the last few years. The cheeky simple word play of the song "Wednesday", the big 80's sound of "On the Dance Floor", the cool loss of "Rector Street"? Just about every song is memorable and good. The gem again is Rotten Love, it stays with you and if are the type of person to let a song sink in you will be yearning to hear it because like lost love you will keep looking for it over and over. Open your mind (and your wallet) and buy this. I only wish Mr. Levy was able to repeat the success of this 2005 recording, it appears he has lost whatever he had to say with this one shot wonder, but what a wonder it is.

Apparently you can't have a lead singer that sounds ANYTHING remotely like Chris Martin or you will be a considered a band that is 'copying a copier'. Come on! This is almost a concept album, and the album title explains it all. That right there differentiates them from Coldplay.

It has guitars, a male lead singer, and it is 'pop'. That's about all you can say ties them to Coldplay. This album has actual substance, something that Coldplay does not have. Without sounding pretentious, listening to this album is like going through a breakup. My favorite album of the year? Nope, but it's a solid CD that I listen to when the right mood strikes me.

Also, I love how people are so judgmental of Coldplay. They have some catchy tunes. Coldplay is the exact kind of band that all of the cool indie kids would love if they weren't popular. Do they have some terrible songs? Yep, but almost every band does. The only reason they get so much hate is because they are popular.

I am really suprised with all the Coldplay comparisons. Apparently, people aren't able to descern the varios genres of music that is out there. This band obviously fits under the "shoegazer" genre that came out of the 80's and 90's from bands like Jesus and the Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, The Verve, etc... Levy even displays the typical "wall of sound" you would find with other shoegazing bands! Not to add completly devoid of all the various layers and polished sounds you would expect from a band like Coldplay. This c.d. is completly underated, and not at all boring, the lyrics are amazing. This c.d. deserves a listen, especially for those who appreciated 80's alternative, or generally drift from one daydream to the next.

From some brief google searches on LEVY, I found there are some deranged people out there with some sort of personal vendetta against this band. Luckily I was intrigued enough to pick up a copy of this album and I absolutely love it. Comparisons to Coldplay are a total joke. I would say this is more like a 'shoegazer version of the Strokes'. I can already tell it is going to keep growing on me. Shake off the haters and get a copy.

With so many rip-off acts out there these days, Coldplay being one of the biggest offenders (in my opinion)... it's a shame to find a band that is copying off of a copier... Coldplay. That's not to say there aren't any original themes at all on this record, but the overtones of pop music riffs and subject matter dominate.

The high point is the title track, Rotten Love, where they find a bit of success and find a sound of their own, to create a decent slow MOR ballad, perfect for mix radio or possibly even college radio listeners.

A Coldplay fan would probably like this album, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone searching for a bit of substance in their music.

One of the basic rules of life is that you should never, ever agree with Phil Jupitus. Ever.

It's up there with not running with scissors and not ramming wet forks into toasters. From that rubbish caveman sitcom he did a few years ago on ITV to his awful facial hair, Phil Jupitus is clearly not a man to be trusted, and we have lived our lives abiding very firmly to that rule.

Until he made the single Rotten Love by Levy the Single Of The Week on his BBC Radio 6 show, that is. Because, as much as it pains us to say, we agree with him. Worse, the album's even better.

Levy is a four-piece band from New York who have been together for almost two years. James Levy was a regular performer at the Sidewalk Cafe in East Village where he met bassist James Broughel and guitarist Matthew Daniel Siskin. Drummer David Daniels joined later. They've cut their teeth playing with people like Adam Green and The Zutons, and Relevant Magazine have tipped them as bright stars of the future. And judging by their debut album - out on Monday - it's not hard to see why.

Levy make melodic bright-eyed happy/sad guitar pop that sounds both reassuringly familiar and refreshingly new. Influences are easy to spot, from Matthew's Morrissey croon to the My Morning Jacket reverb dripping from the songs to the hook-filled immediacy of Brendan Benson.

Rotten Love (the album, not the song) is unashamedly simple and pure - James Levy has spoken about his desire to write songs that 13-year-old want to be able to play, and none of the ten songs here outstay their welcome by a single note.

Lyrically, it's an album about the heart, but with a title like Rotten Love, you can guess that it's not all flowers and puppydogs. Sure, there's hope there - in songs like Rector Street and the wanton MILFery of On The Dancefloor - but Levy isn't afraid to explore the underbelly a bit more. The title song forensically bisects the moments when a relationship turns sour, and the three-way breakup song Matthew features the line "I'm sorry that I caused you so much pain," eight times in a row. But crucially, all the heartache is wrapped up in a jaunty tune that even the most hapless of milkmen could whistle.

It's difficult to pick highlights on an album with such high quality-control as Rotten Love, but In The Woods and See Saw are the current ear-worms in the batch. No doubt this will change.

In Rotten Love, Levy have come up with a collection of classic bittersweet pop songs so full of heart that it almost makes us feel bad for being mean about Phil Jupitus earlier. Almost...

This album is really great, if you like Coldplay, Travis, Slowdive, Belle & Sebastian, and Doves. And it really is that derivative. But, that's cool. It's great stuff. Lots o' fun. There are songs that you can sing to. Songs you can rock out to. All very accessible. I'm looking forward to their next album already - actually, it already came out. So that's another album on my list I guess.

I have a funny feeling all 16 previous reviews were written by the band, or the guy who made levysucks.com!! I thought Rotten Love was a pretty decent song, heard it on Pandora years ago, bought the song, and have had it on the IPOD ever since. Finally checked out the whole album on Spotify (surprised it was on there). Rotten Love is indeed the best track, but the rest of the album is fair. Definitely sounds nothing like Coldplay, I'll agree with that. Shoegazey Pop.

I came across LEVY's profile on a popular personals/music website, and I found nothing but good reviews and great comments, so I decided to spend my extra birthday money on their album. As I sat and listened to it, I kept wondering if I accidentally received the wrong CD; everything I heard sounded like Coldplay. Now, I don't have anything against cover bands, but when you copy someone else's music, you should at least give them proper respect and acknowledge that you've made their music into your own. On this album, LEVY mimicked much of the trademark guitar sound and texture of Coldplay. Much of their personally filtered reviews taunt their work as completely original, and at times, they even sound as if LEVY might be musically revolutionary or something. In regards to the actual musical content of the album, I find it lukewarm, stale and, well, plain boring. Steer clear of this one if you're looking for something new and different.

After seeing several reviews stating this Kenny Anderson guy wrote my review, I figured I should add a realname tag to show that more than just Kenny Anderson thinks Levy sucks.

I was given this CD from my sister, who knows I love to dig into up and coming bands. I was not impressed. The only song I found to be fairly original, in at least the sound, was In the Woods, which I wouldn't list as the fulcrum this album turns on. The remainder of this album disappointed me with its appeal to emotion that was trying a little too hard (as is the style these days), hammering out repeated chords and vocals that have that familiar deep delicate sound. Now, I don't like Coldplay. I don't have any of their albums. I hate to say this, but it almost sounds like Levy is really trying to pull off some Coldplay covers. Make sure you listen to the samples before you buy this CD, because I'd hate for someone to accidently buy A Rush of Blood to the Head Part II.